Modular toy assembly

ABSTRACT

Connectable planar toy pieces have base shapes of regular or irregular polygons of various side counts. Connectability is achieved by way of an extension hook on each side of each piece, creating slots with bead-shaped protrusions therein. This arrangement allows two pieces to snap together when one piece is connected to another either slot-to-slot or slot-to-edge. Several pieces may be so connected, forming a variety of possible shapes and structures.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 and applicableforeign and international law of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/369,590 filed Jul. 30, 2010 which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Children enjoy using their imaginations by playing with constructiontoys to create objects of their own design. Examples of such toysinclude Tinkertoy® construction sets, Lego® bricks, and the toy setdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,337, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

SUMMARY

Connectable planar toy pieces have base shapes of regular or irregularpolygons of various side counts. Connectability is achieved by way of anextension hook on each side of each piece, creating slots withbead-shaped protrusions therein. This arrangement allows two pieces tosnap together when one piece is connected to another either slot-to-slotor slot-to-edge. Several pieces may be so connected, forming a varietyof possible shapes and structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of various illustrative toy pieces.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an illustrative toy piece with a four-sidedpolygon base shape.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the toy piece of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of two illustrative toypieces snapped together.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the pieces of FIG. 4, shown from anorthogonal angle to the view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of two illustrative pieces, indicating onepossible slot-to-slot connection path.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of several illustrative toy pieces woven togetherin an approximately planar arrangement.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of several illustrative four-sided toypieces connected to form a polyhedral surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various illustrative connectable toy pieces in accordance with thepresent disclosure are depicted in FIGS. 1-8. FIG. 1 shows a plan viewof three examples of toy pieces 10. As depicted in FIG. 1, each toypiece 10 may have a central base shape 12 in the form of a substantiallyplanar polygon, side hook extensions 22, and slots 30.

Being polygonal, base shape 12 has a plurality of side edges 14. Baseshape 12 may have any number of side edges 14 such that base shape 12takes the form of a regular or irregular polygon. For example, toy piece10 a has three side edges 14 and a triangular base shape 12 a; toy piece10 b has four side edges 14 and a square base shape 12 b; and toy piece10 c has five side edges 14 and a pentagonal base shape 12 c. Whileregular polygons are depicted in FIG. 1, other shapes are also possible.For example, a four-sided toy piece 10 may have a base shape 12 in theform of a parallelogram or diamond rather than a square.

As depicted in FIGS. 1 through 3, base shape 12 of each toy piece 10 mayalso include a central hole 16, a plurality of textural features 18, anda thickness 20. Central hole 16 may be any suitable size and shape thatallows spindling, stringing, and/or aesthetically pleasing passage oflight through what may be an otherwise opaque material. For example,central hole 16 may take the shape of a circle, as depicted in FIGS. 1and 2, or a star, crescent, polygon, football, or any other shape. Othersimilar holes or perforations in base shape 12 may be provided forsimilar reasons. These perforations may be in addition to or instead ofcentral hole 16, and may be various shapes and sizes.

Textural features 18 may be any raised or recessed features formed onthe front and/or rear planar face of base shape 12 to allow bothdecorative appeal and facilitation of handling. As depicted in FIG. 2,textural features 18 may include concentric ridges taking the shape ofthe particular base shape of the toy piece.

Toy piece 10 may have a coplanar hook extension 22 extending from eachside edge 14 of base shape 12 as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown inthe drawings, one end of hook extension 22 may form a continuous surfacewith base shape 12 and extend from one end of side edge 14 toward theother end of side edge 14, forming a slot 30 along each side edge 14.Each hook extension 22 may have a curvilinear outer peripheral edge 26and one or more holes 24. Peripheral edge 26 may include a peripherallip 28, causing peripheral edge 26 to have a greater thickness thanthickness 20 of base shape 12, and enhancing the structural rigidity oftoy piece 10. Holes 24 in hook extensions 22 may be any suitable sizeand shape, and may allow toy pieces 10 to be laced together or strungindividually.

Each slot 30 is formed by an inner edge of hook extension 22 and acorresponding parallel side edge 14. Slot 30 may extend approximatelyhalf way or more across side edge 14, and may include a mouth 32, aterminus 34, a width 36, and two or more connector beads 38. Mouth 32 isformed as an opening into slot 30 formed by a terminal end of hookextension 22 and one end region of side edge 14. Slot 30 extends acrossapproximately one half of the length of side edge 14, ending at terminus34, where the parallel sides of slot 30 end and come together. Theparallel edges of hook extension 22 and side edge 14 are spaced apart toform width 36, which is greater than thickness 20 to facilitateslot-to-slot connection of two toy pieces 10, described below.

Also facilitating connection of toy pieces 10, at least two connectorbeads are formed as protrusions near terminus 34, with at least oneconnector bead on either side of slot 30 and disposed across from eachother. Connector beads 38 may be any suitable shape configured to narrowslot 30 and also protrude orthogonally on either side of the plane ofbase shape 12. A pair of connector beads 38 is configured to snap onto asurface placed between the two beads. Connector beads 38 may be spacedapart from each other so as to narrow slot 30 without touching.Orthogonal protrusion facilitates retention of a corresponding pair ofconnector beads 38 on a second surface. In some examples, connectorbeads 38 are spherical protrusions of a certain diameter (d) which maybe located within approximately one diameter (d) from terminus 34. Morethan one pair of connector beads 38 may be disposed in each slot 30.

This snapping together, or mating, of two toy pieces 10 utilizing a pairof connector beads 38 on each toy piece 10 is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5,which are cross sectional views taken along respectively marked sectionlines in FIG. 2. The phantom line in FIG. 2 shows an illustrative secondtoy piece 10 e being inserted into a slot 30 of toy piece 10 d. FIGS. 4and 5 depict the relationship of two pairs of spherical connector beads38 of toy pieces 10 d and 10 e after having been snapped together.

As two toy pieces 10 d and 10 e are slotted together, their respectiveconnector beads 38 meet and temporarily block further movement, due tothe fact that connector beads 38 narrow the width of slot 30. Withapplication of additional force, the respective pairs of connector beads38 may be urged to elastically snap past each other, thus causing theconnector beads 38 of each toy piece 10 to be captured by the terminus34 and connector beads 38 of the other toy piece 10. At this point, thetwo toy pieces are snapped together. However, further force may beapplied in the direction of the terminuses, causing connector beads 38to pass the terminuses and pinch onto base shape 12. In any event, thetwo toy pieces may be disconnected by applying force in the direction ofslot mouth 32, to allow the pairs of connector beads 38 to elasticallypass each other and thus unslot the pieces. An overview of slot-to-slotmating is depicted in the perspective view of FIG. 6, using twoillustrative toy pieces 10.

It is noted that slot-to-slot connection has been described with two toypieces in orthogonal orientation with respect to each other. However,flexibility and slot dimensions are such that slot-to-slot connectionmay be accomplished at almost any angle. Additionally, toy pieces 10 maysnap together in other fashions, such as by snapping slot 30 of one toypiece 10 onto a peripheral edge 26 of a second toy piece 10. In thisexample, the connector beads 38 of a toy piece 10 may elastically passthe peripheral lip 28 of a second toy piece 10, clamping onto a planarportion of hook extension 22 of the second toy piece 10.

Various shapes and structures may be constructed by snapping togethermultiple toy pieces 10 of identical or different side counts. Toy pieces10 having different base shapes 12 may nonetheless have side edges 14and hook extensions 22 having substantially the same dimensions. Thismay allow toy pieces 10 of different base shapes 12 to be snappedtogether in countless combinations. For example, three dimensionalsolids may be constructed, including Archimedean solids, Johnson solids,and Platonic solids.

A plurality of toy pieces 10 may also be woven together to form acontinuous surface, an example of which is depicted in FIG. 7. Usingthis method, various articles may be constructed, such as clothing orhats. In yet another example, FIG. 8 shows a cube-shaped structureconstructed using several four-sided toy pieces 10. In some examples, aseparate strip (not shown) having a shape such as a rectangle may beprovided having a plurality of slots and connector beads similar toslots 30 and connector beads 38 but arranged at regular intervals aroundthe periphery of the strip. This strip may be configured to allowstorage or arrangement of various toy pieces 10.

Toy pieces 10 may be manufactured by any suitable method using anysuitable tough, semi-rigid material. Preferably, toy pieces 10 may beinjection molded using a blend of polypropylene and thermoplasticrubber. This combination yields a desirable level of rigidity,durability, cost effectiveness, and rubbery hand feel, while preventingundesirable fogging of the material when bent. Toy pieces 10 may beopaque and/or colored, or may be configured to glow in the dark.

The disclosure set forth herein encompasses multiple distinct inventionswith independent utility. While each of these inventions has beendisclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof asdisclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limitingsense as numerous variations are possible. Each example defines anembodiment disclosed in the foregoing disclosure, but any one exampledoes not necessarily encompass all features or combinations that may beeventually claimed. Where the description recites “a” or “a first”element or the equivalent thereof, such description includes one or moresuch elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more suchelements. Further, ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third,for identified elements are used to distinguish between the elements,and do not indicate a required or limited number of such elements, anddo not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unlessotherwise specifically stated.

The following reference numerals have been used in this disclosure:

10 Toy Piece

12 Base Shape

14 Side Edge

16 Central Hole

18 Textural Features

20 Thickness (of Base Shape)

22 Hook Extension

24 Holes (in Hook Extension)

26 Peripheral Edge (of Hook Extension)

28 Peripheral Lip (of Hook Extension)

30 Slot

32 Mouth (of Slot)

34 Terminus (of Slot)

36 Width (of Slot)

38 Connector Beads

The following claims particularly point out certain combinations andsubcombinations regarded as novel and nonobvious. Inventions embodied inother combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements,and/or properties may be claimed in applications claiming priority fromthis or a related application. Such claims, whether directed to adifferent invention or to the same invention, and whether broader,narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also areregarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of thepresent disclosure.

1. A toy comprising a first piece having a front planar surface, a rearplanar surface, a thickness, and at least three side edges, wherein eachside edge includes a hook extension beginning at a first end of the sideedge and extending substantially parallel to the side edge, forming aslot between the hook extension and the side edge; the slot having awidth, an open first end, a terminus at a second end, and two connectorbeads disposed near the terminus with one bead on each side of the slot;and the width of the slot is greater than the thickness of the piece. 2.The toy of claim 1, further including a second piece, wherein the piecesare configured to snap together by mating any one slot on the firstpiece with any one slot on the second piece and applying sufficientforce such that the pair of beads in the slot of the first piece areurged past the pair of beads in the second slot.
 3. The toy of claim 1,wherein each slot has a first length and each side edge has a secondlength, and the first length is at least about one half of the secondlength.
 4. The toy of claim 1, wherein each hook extension has an outerperimeter, and at least a portion of the outer perimeter includes a lip.5. The toy of claim 4, wherein the lip is sized to allow the connectorbeads in a slot of a second piece to snap onto the perimeter of thefirst piece, holding the second piece onto the first piece.
 6. The toyof claim 4, wherein the outer perimeter is curvilinear.
 7. The toy ofclaim 1, wherein the beads are spherical and have a diameter; and thebeads are disposed less than or equal to about one diameter from theterminus.
 8. The toy of claim 1, wherein the beads disposed in a slotare spaced apart from each other.
 9. The toy of claim 1, wherein atleast one of the planar surfaces includes texturing in the form of aplurality of concentric ridges.
 10. The toy of claim 1, wherein thepiece includes a central hole.
 11. The toy of claim 1, wherein each hookextension includes at least one hole.
 12. A set of toys comprising aplurality of pieces each piece having a front planar surface, a rearplanar surface, a thickness, and at least three side edges, wherein eachside edge includes a hook extension beginning at a first end of the sideedge and extending substantially parallel to the side edge, forming aslot between the hook extension and the side edge; the slot having awidth, an open first end, a terminus at a second end, and two beadsdisposed near the terminus with one bead on each side of the slot; andthe width of the slot is greater than the thickness of the piece. 13.The set of toys of claim 12, wherein each side edge of each piece has alength, and the length of each side edge of each piece is substantiallythe same.
 14. The set of toys of claim 12, wherein at least one piecehas a different number of sides than at least one other piece.
 15. Theset of toys of claim 12, wherein the pieces are configured to allow atleast a first piece and a second piece to fit together by mating any oneslot on the first piece with any one slot on the second piece andapplying sufficient force such that the pair of beads in the slot of thefirst piece are urged past the pair of beads in the second slot.
 16. Thetoy of claim 12, wherein each slot has a first length and each side edgehas a second length, and the first length is at least about one half ofthe second length.
 17. The toy of claim 12, wherein each hook extensionhas an outer perimeter, and at least a portion of the outer perimeterincludes a lip.
 18. The toy of claim 17, wherein the lip is sized toallow the connector beads in a slot of a second piece to snap onto theperimeter of the first piece, holding the second piece onto the firstpiece.
 19. The toy of claim 17, wherein the outer perimeter iscurvilinear.
 20. The toy of claim 12, wherein the beads are sphericaland have a diameter; and the beads are disposed less than or equal toabout one diameter from the terminus.